Title: Chocolate caramel puffs
 Categories: Cooking liv, Import
      Yield: 1 Servings
 
MMMMM-------------------------PUFF DOUGH------------------------------
    1/2 c  All purpose flour
      2 tb Unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/2 c  Water
      4 tb Unsalted butter
      1 tb Granulated sugar
      3 lg Eggs

MMMMM-----------------CHOCOLATE CARAMEL GANACHE----------------------
      8 oz Semisweet chocolate; chopped
           -into 1/4-inch pieces
      4 oz Unsweetened chocolate;
           -chopped into 1/4-inch
           -pieces
  1 1/2 c  Heavy cream
      2 tb Unsalted butter
    1/2 c  Granulated sugar
    1/8 ts Fresh lemon juice
 
  Make the puffs:
  
  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  
  In a sifter combine the flour and cocoa powder. Sift onto a large
  piece of waxed paper and set aside until needed.
  
  Heat the water, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a
  3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, stir to dissolve
  the sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the sifted
  dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the mixture comes
  together in a ball-like shape (it should be a bit like putty at this
  point). Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring energetically and
  thoroughly incorporating each egg before adding another. Divide the
  dough in level tablespoons (approximately 1/2 ounce per puff) onto 2
  nonstick baking sheets, 12 evenly spaced portions per sheet. Place
  the baking sheets on the top and center racks of the preheated oven
  and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to center
  halfway through the baking time (at that time also turn each sheet
  180 degrees). Remove the puffs from the oven and cool to room
  temperature.
  
  Make the Chocolate Caramel Ganache:
  
  Place the chopped semisweet and unsweetened chocolate in a 4-quart
  bowl and set aside.
  
  Heat the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons butter in a 1 1/2 quart
  saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to
  keep the cream hot, but not simmering until needed.
  
  Combine 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon juice in a 3-quart saucepan. Stir
  with a whisk to combine (the sugar will resemble moist sand).
  Caramelize the sugar for 7 to 8 minutes over medium-high heat,
  stirring constantly with a whisk to break up any lumps (the sugar
  will first turn clear as it liquefies, then light brown as it
  caramelizes). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully pour about
  1/3 of the hot cream into the caramelized sugar. Use a whisk to stir
  the caramel until it stops bubbling. Add the remaining cream and stir
  until smooth. Immediately pour the hot caramel over the chopped
  chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes before stirring with a
  whisk until very smooth. Refrigerate the ganache until just slightly
  firm but not hard (if the ganache is too firm, it will be difficult
  to pipe).
  
  Using a sharp paring knife, cut each puff in half horizontally.
  Transfer the chilled ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a large star
  tip. Pipe about 1 heaping tablespoon (approximately 1 ounce) of
  ganache onto the bottom half of each puff, then place the top half of
  the puff onto each portion of ganache. Serve immediately, or store in
  a tightly sealed plastic container at room temperature for 12 to 24
  hours.
  
  Yield: 2 dozen 1 1/2 -inch puffs
  
  Notes: Recipe courtesy of Marcel Desaulniers, "Death by Chocolate" and
  "Death by Chocolate Cookies"
  
  Recipe